Caitlin Clark’s name has been a dominant presence in women’s basketball for over two years, bringing a new wave of excitement, viewership, and commercial interest to the WNBA. However, her transition into the professional league has not been without controversy, and now, one former White House advisor is calling for the federal government to intervene.

Sean McLean, who served as an advisor during the final stretch of Donald Trump’s first presidential term, is demanding that federal authorities investigate what he describes as a “hostile workplace” environment for Caitlin Clark within the WNBA. In a fiery op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, McLean didn’t mince words. He claimed that Clark has faced targeted aggression, unsafe conditions, and a lack of institutional protection from league officials.

“This isn’t about sports rivalry or competitive toughness,” McLean argued. “The league has fostered a hostile workplace for Ms. Clark through excessive fouling, targeting, and hostile comments from other players and even team owners. These aren’t isolated—they’re documented, continuing and ignored by officials. The disparity in treatment invites real scrutiny.”

Clark’s meteoric rise has undeniably reshaped the women’s basketball landscape. But her rookie year, and even more so her second season, have been marred by aggressive play from opponents, public criticisms from fellow players, and the league’s perceived reluctance to intervene. McLean’s article arrives as Caitlin Clark continues to sit out with a lingering groin injury, having missed over half of the Indiana Fever’s games this season.

Despite the Fever managing to hold their own in her absence, the impact of Clark’s injury has been felt across the WNBA. Ratings have dipped, and attendance has seen noticeable fluctuations in games where she is unavailable. For a league trying to capitalize on its most commercially valuable player in years, this has been a major setback.
Caitlin Clark (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

McLean argues that this is more than a sports issue—it’s a workplace rights issue. “Not a single player has been suspended for flagrantly fouling Ms. Clark,” he emphasized, suggesting that league officials have turned a blind eye to repeated targeting.

He likens Clark’s treatment to a broader cultural issue of disparate workplace treatment, citing previous Supreme Court decisions and EEOC investigations. Specifically, he points to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s investigation into Dearica Hamby’s pregnancy discrimination claims against her team and the WNBA. “That set a precedent,” McLean wrote. “The evidence here provides reasonable cause for a federal probe into potential civil-rights violations.”

He believes that Congress, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Justice should all take an active role in examining the environment Clark has faced since entering the league.

“Ms. Clark’s targeting may reflect a culture of disparate treatment, and the evidence provides reasonable cause for a federal probe,” McLean stated, noting that the level of aggression and dismissiveness she has endured would not be tolerated in any other profession.

The very suggestion of government involvement in a professional sports league is bound to be divisive. For Caitlin Clark herself, it’s likely an unwelcome distraction. Sources close to her camp suggest she would oppose any such investigation, out of concern that it could hurt her brand, isolate her from her teammates, or make her a political lightning rod.

Clark has consistently avoided making herself the center of controversy. When confronted about the rough treatment she’s received—on and off the court—she’s typically responded with grace and professionalism. She’s opted instead to let her work ethic do the talking. In the offseason, she reportedly doubled her training hours to physically and mentally prepare herself for what she knew would be a grueling second season.

However, that preparation couldn’t prevent the toll of relentless physicality. Her current groin injury has kept her out for weeks, and while ESPN reports suggest she may return by August 12, there’s still no official timetable. In her absence, questions continue to mount: Are referees doing enough to protect her? Is the league adequately ensuring her safety? And most critically, is Caitlin Clark being treated like an equal—or a threat?

McLean argues that the WNBA’s approach has been more defensive than proactive. “Instead of protecting its transformative star, the league’s leadership ignores the relentless targeting of Ms. Clark, treating its greatest asset as if she were a PR headache,” he wrote. “That approach could turn into a legal liability for the WNBA.”
Caitlin Clark (Photo via Imagn Images)
Indeed, Clark’s presence has done more than boost ratings; it has forced the league to confront uncomfortable truths about its culture. Some veteran players have bristled at the attention Clark has received, suggesting it’s a symptom of broader racial and generational biases. Clark, a white, Midwestern sharpshooter with a clean-cut image and massive NIL deals, has been a polarizing figure not because of anything she’s said or done, but because of what she represents.

McLean’s proposal to involve the federal government—whether one agrees with it or not—raises critical questions about how female athletes are protected in hostile environments, both physical and emotional. If Caitlin Clark can be targeted without consequences, what message does that send to young athletes watching her journey?

The op-ed ends with a warning that the WNBA must act before the situation spirals further out of control. “You don’t need to be a lawyer to recognize what’s happening here. You just need to have eyes. And if the league continues to ignore it, it might be up to the federal government to hold it accountable.”

For now, fans await Clark’s return. But as she continues her recovery, this growing debate around her treatment may become even more central to the future of women’s basketball. Will the league take McLean’s criticism seriously and make reforms? Or will it gamble that the storm will pass once Clark is back on the court?

Either way, Caitlin Clark’s story is no longer just about basketball. It’s becoming a symbol of how institutions treat their stars—and whether fame is a shield or a target.